Assignments for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
by Raunchel
Summary: This story is where I will put many one-offs that I will be writing for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry here on . I hope that you will enjoy them. The first is set in the twenties, at a posh public school.
1. Transfer

_This short story is a part of the background of a roleplaying character for a forum game, and also an entry for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Major and Minor Arcana classes._

Marian Leonora Eardley-Wilmot sits under the sun, together with her two best friends. From where they it, they could see the sea and the cliffs, but they pay no attention to it, being used to the sights. Instead, they are talking, about all the important things going on in their little world. Which means, they were talking about the rumours that there would be a new teacher.

The three girls however are rudely interrupted, by Miss Simmonds. "Miss Eardley-Wilmot? There is a visitor for you."

Marian looks up in surprise, she never had any visitors. Not since she went to this school, and that is almost two years ago. And at the previous one she also had no visitors, and she had been there since she was three. But still she stands up, not questioning her teacher. She knows how questions that are deemed to be stupid are answered, and it usually is not with words.

She walks back to the main building, where she knows that the rare visitors go. She remembers that some months ago Barbara's brother was nearby, and he paid her a brief visit. They had talked about it for days. She wondered why she would be visited, she hadn't seen her family in quite a while, but they never showed any interest, most of her letters to her mother were never answered, even though she kept writing her every week. She briefly considers her half-siblings, but they are too young to travel alone, and she hardly knows them, having spent only a few days in all in their presence. Her stepfather is the most unlikely of candidates, he hates her, and was the reason why she was sent from home when she was only three.

And then it strikes her. What if the visitor is not here to see her? But has an actual reason. To speak to her, to tell her something that can't be done through a letter. There is only one thing that comes to mind, death. That could explain it, someone had died. It could be anyone, but somewhere she finds herself hoping that it is her stepfather. She knows that he wants her dead, for her father's inheritance, but it would be ironic if he would die first.

She is told that the visitor is waiting for her in one of the side rooms, and she enters it, still wondering about the reason for the visit. She sees a woman she doesn't recognize, and who doesn't seem familiar to anyone she knows. The visitor is short, and a little plump. She has a very broad face, more like an amphibian's than a human's. The woman smiles at Marian: "Hello there. I'm Jane Umbridge, and there are some important things that I want to talk about with you."

Her accent is shocking to Marian's ears, so boorish, uncivilized. Working class even. That's even worse than the simple fact that it is a little difficult to understand. This ist he kind of person that she never speaks to, and if the other girls hear about this, it will be a scandal. "I beg your pardon? What sort of matter does this concern?"

"Your education. You see, I represent a school for gifted children like you, and we'd like to offer you a position."

For a few moments Marian is speechless, offering her a position at a school? What sort of nonsense is that. She already has a school, one of the best in the world, and she is there right now. "I hope that I don't misunderstand you, but it seems to me that I already do attend a school."

The frog-faced woman smiles, and replies: "Yes, but you see, this is a special school. Hogwarts."

"I have never heard of any school going by that name, so that either means that it does not exist, or that it is for the lower orders. Either way, I do not wish to have anything to do with it."

Now Jane Umbridge frowns: "As I said, it is no ordinary school. Most muggles don't know about its existence. After all, we can't have everyone know about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and you, you are a witch."

The final words strike a chord in Marian. Witchcraft? Wizardry? "I demand that you leave right now. I have no wish to partake in this joke of yours. And tell me, who paid you to come here to make a fool out of me?"

She sighs, producing a short wooden stick from her sleeve and points it at her. This joke is really going too far. "Calthulify!"

"Once again, I demand that you…", she notices something, something really strange. Her sleeve, it is yellow. She looks down, all her clothes have turned yellow. Suddenly she feels afraid, and she stammers: "W-what happened?"

"That is magic. I am a witch. And you can learn the same, to work magic.", she answers, smiling again. She again waves her hand: "anulli"

Her clothes return to their normal colours, and Marian feels relieved. "But, ehm, why would I want to learn magic. Why don't I know about it?"

"I will answer your second question first. We don't want the muggles, non-magical folk, to know about magic. We try to keep it a secret. And why wouldn't you want to learn magic, you could do anything!"

"But how about my prospects? Will I still be able to go to university? And wouldn't my parents protest? And won't it be a huge scandal? When people find out, I mean. Or when they don't, and I just disappear?"

"There is no need to worry about such things, miss Eardley-Wilmot, you will still be able to do whatever you please. I have already spoken to your parents, and they don't oppose it. And no one will ever find out. I have to admit that there might be some complications in your world, but I assure you, there are plenty of possibilities in the wizarding world."

Again she is surprised, a whole wizarding world? "Wizarding world? Are there many witches then?"

"Oh yes, and wizards of course. We have our own school, our own shops, our own everything really. If you don't want to, you never have to speak to a single muggle in your whole life, but of course you can, there are no laws against it."

"Do I have to decide now? This is a lot to process right now. And is there any way in which I can find more information? I am certain that I will have many more questions once I've had some time to think."

"Well, ehm, you will have to send a letter to the school to agree to attend it, the details are in this letter.", she hands Marian an envelope. And as far as other information is concerned, could I maybe come again in a week? So you have some time to think?"

"That sounds acceptable.", Marian replies, her mind struggling to keep up with what she's been told.


	2. The Fastest Wand in the West

_This has been written as a short one-off for the hopscotch challenge at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where I got the random assignment of a Western. And so, here it is, a short tale set in the Wild West, but involving wizards, and witches._

The Fastest Wand in the West

Belle stands, watching, in the middle of this street in a muggle town that she can't care to remember the name of. But she has to do this. She knows that it is illegal, but she doesn't know how else she can confront the dark wizard. She knows that he can't refuse the challenge, not a public one, not one like this in the very town that he has taken over. She feels sorry for the poor muggles, and hopes that the Federal Obliviators can help them, but she fears that they won't.

With a swoosh he appears, right in front of her, some thirty feet away. The sun is high, almost at its highest and she pushes down her hat a little. The town's clock is ticking away the seconds, the final seconds. "This is your last chance, surrender your wand and come with me."

Jesse laughs heartily, his hand close to his wand: "And go to prison? You can't stop me, missy, this is my town, my rules. Run away now, or you will be dead when that clock strikes."

She doesn't answer, and only glances over the townsfolk. They are assembled by the sides of the street, looking from windows. She knows that they hope for salvation, but fear that they will have to celebrate the outlaw's victory.

Just a few seconds remaining and she holds her hand close to her wand, but not yet touching it. There are rules to this sort of thing.

The clock strikes, and the witch and the wizard move as a blur, drawing their wands. She shouts: "Avada Kedavra", and does he.

But he falls, lifeless, and she twirls her wand around her finger. Belle MacLeon, Federal Auror and Fastest Wand in the West has once again proven why she holds that title.


	3. Watching

_This is another short piece for the Hopscotch challenge. This time not confined to a setting, but rather to use several words, and a character. I hope that I succeeded._

Watching

She looks from the window, even though there is nothing to see in the darkness. But still she watches. She has the feeling that there is something to be seen, even though she doesn't know what. It just is one of those premonitions Alexandra sometimes has. All she can see are the autumn leaves of the oak standing in front of her house. She briefly feels the temptation to make light appear, but that would break the law, and with the ministry in the state that it is currently in, she would rather not risk that. Especially not after the little affair with the leaflets. She only barely got away with that, and no one got caught for spreading them through the building. They hate it when anyone mentions anything negative about the minister, but it just had to be done, she couldn't stand for his constant denial of what everyone knows to be true. _He_ has returned.

She keeps watching outside, afraid, perhaps they do know. Perhaps they will actually arrest her for what she did. She almost falls over in shock, the house opposite her, belonging to a nice muggle family, is suddenly aflame. Completely, not a small fire spreading, but covered in flames. She runs to the door, rushing into the street. She has to help, laws be damned.

When she is outside she hears another sound, laughter. It sounds hollow, dark and evil. Who could laugh when a house burns?

She turns around, and she sees a figure from a nightmare. A woman, with a well-known face. Her eyes go wide open, and she manages to exclaim: "Bellatrix Lestrange"

And then the first spell hits her, and the moments stretch to eternity.


	4. Love at First Sight

_And another drabble for the Hopscotch Challenge, again no Western, but now with an actual pairing!_

Nymphedora sits in the living room of her cousin, Sirius, waiting for the new guests. She has been told that Arthur and Molly's children will be here, along with another guest, and she looks forwards to meeting them. She likes her work as an auror, and the secret work for the Order, but all of them are so serious. She knows that it all is very important work, but sometimes, at rare moments, she just wants to share a few jokes with them.

The door opens, and in comes Molly, her hair as red as carrots and visibly tired. It must be hellish to try to keep so many children in order, no matter what she says. Behind her follow two boys, who must be their twin, and another boy, who to be honest, appears a little dim. But behind him, another girl. She looks wonderful, with wild brown hair and a special look in her eyes. Immediately Tonks feels drawn to the girl, even if she is so young. She follows her with her eyes, and then she is met by the girl's. She smiles, and soon both smile.

They watch each other, even as the unknown girl keeps walking. She suddenly bumps into the boy in front of her, and he screams as he falls: "Hey! Watch where you're going!"

"I'm sorry, I was a bit distracted", her voice is beautiful too. So wonderful. Dora can't help feeling happy, just seeing her.

"Well Hermione, you always say that I should pay more attention, but you really should too."

It looks like a small argument might start, and she decides to intervene before the girl, Hermione, gets angry. She would hate seeing her angry. And so she does what she always does. She blows up her nose to the size of a balloon, and alters her voice to a very high pitch: "Hi!"


	5. FLying lessons 1

_This was written for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Flying Lessons, and is the first instalment of a series of twelve, which will be loosely connected._

Mafalda's initial joy of going to Hogwarts has left her after only a few days. It was everything she always hoped for, becoming an actual witch, even while her father was a squib and her mother a muggle. She still remembers how welcoming everyone seemed when she was sorted into her house, Slytherin. It all seems so distant now, when the questions of her new housemates came. They asked her about her parents, and the rest of her family. And soon enough, they had a new name for her, calling her Mudblood.

That is something that she never knew, no one had ever told her. But there are many who do not look kindly on her, just because of her birth. She hates them, but she doesn't act on it. She mostly is afraid, she hoped that she would make friends, but she has found only enemies. None of the other girls really talk to her, they only sneer and call her names. Or they throw things at her, whenever they see her. And it's not just those in her own year, the older ones are worse.

And that is precisely why she isn't spending her time with those who should be her friends. Even though exams are still many months away, she is making her way to the library. It is difficult, she still doesn't know her way through the castle and if she's entirely honest with herself, has no idea where she is right now. She looks around, really carefully, she already got stuck in stairs twice, and she doesn't want that humiliation again, especially not that one step that wasn't just not there, it was actually sticky on the inside.

She is on a staircase, walking carefully, and checking every step before she puts her foot down, this castle is a hazard, not a school. And then she hears someone from behind, a girl, asking her: "Hello, do you need help getting somewhere?"

Mafalda looks around, and finds herself looking at a girl with bushy brown hair, and then she sees it. She is a Gryffindor, and she knows that those tend to not take too kindly to members of her own house. Not that she has met many yet, but still. At least her fellow Slytherins haven't launched fireworks at her, unlike those two Gryffindor boys. They actually made her robes catch fire, and she could only put them out because she had already done some studying this summer. But then again, this girl looks friendly.

"I, ehm, I'm looking for the library."

"Well, you would be in the wrong place then, these stairs go to the Astronomy Tower. And you shouldn't wander the hallways alone."

"But you are also alone."

"Yes", the brown-haired girl replies, "but I know my way."

"And I want to learn my way around, so, I go looking around by myself. But do you know where the library is?"

"Yes, I'll show you. I'm going there myself."

"Thank you. What is your name?"

"Hermione."


	6. Ginny meets Luna

_Just a little drabble, for the speed drabbles._

Ginny is sitting in the library, trying to focus herself on the potions essay that she has to write. She has only just arrived at Hogwarts, but she already hates Snape with a passion. Two feet, just after the first lesson. None of the other professors had given such assignments yet, but then again, no one was as evil as Severus Snape.

A light blonde girl sits down opposite her, looking dreamy, right through Ginny. She has seen her a few times, but never said a thing to her. And so she starts: "Excuse me, but have we met?"

"Are you a nargle?", the girl asks.

Ginny wonders what on earth a nargle might be, but she tries anyways. "I'm not. I'm a girl. Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not normally like this, but I feel a little unclear."

She already knows the girl's reputation, and it's not for being level-headed. "What is wrong?"

"I don't know. Maybe something got into my head. It makes me quite sad really. And all my clothes got covered in ink. I came here to find some rest, to bring happiness to my head. And drive away who is in there."

"What would make you happy?"

"Well, happiness might be a little hard to come by right now, but I'm sure that there will be some around here."


End file.
